First Timer To Japan Series: Start Planning

Are you thinking about going to Japan? Great! You are going to have an amazing time. My partner and I decided to go while we put off planning our wedding back in 2016. It was magical. We ate, found inspiration, met cool people, and discovered new hobbies. At first, it can feel intimidating since everyone says that Japanese culture is very different. We didn’t really run into this but we also did a lot of RESEARCH.

We flew over to Japan in March 2017 and I still have vivid flashbacks of that trip. It either cracked me open or I took a part of Japan into my soul and still carry it with me.

I painted this the week that we bought our flights to Japan. I also had a different haircut when we did this trip so you might not recognize ‘cartoon mere’. My style has changed quite a bit in two years too…

Here are some of our favourite resources from our research.

Learn the language

Billy has a knack for languages so he decided to learn some Japanese language basics so we could get around more easily and be polite with the people. Once we got there, it was clear that his speaking Japanese made a HUGE difference with how people reacted to us and if they decided to open up and have a chat. The Japanese were so hospitable and friendly. They really seemed to appreciate that he made the effort. I struggle with language learning so I only had the minimal basics but since I was hanging out with Billy, they were open to chatting with me too.

Dig out your library card and try some audiobooks during your commute. Billy suggests:

• Pimsleur Japanese – likely available through your public library

Guide Books

• A Geek in Japan by Hector Garcia Puigcerver
• Cool Japan Guide by Abby Denson – presents the practicalities in a memorable way.

Literature

• A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami, Alfred Birnbaum (translator)
• Infinity Net: The Autobiography of Yayoi Kusama by Yayoi Kusama, Ralph McCarthy (Translator)
• Showa, 1926-1939: A History of Japan by Shigeru Mizuki
• Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia Puigcerver, Francesc Miralles, Heather Cleary (Translator)

Make a bucket list

You can see what mine was above. With all the things to experience in Japan, the list was ever-evolving and changing. We didn’t end up going to Mt. Fuji but we did take an impromtu trip to Kobe, Japan.

We managed to get tickets to watch Sumo wrestling in Osaka – incredible!

I was so happy and felt very privileged to see Yayoi Kusama’s exhibit at the National Art Gallery in Tokyo.

Google Maps

We relied heavily on our smart phones. We would star restaurants and locations to check out and I’m so happy we have those maps now to share with others. I’m hoping to share them throughout this Japan series.

We find the reviews on Google to be more accurate to our tastes than Yelp. This helped us find a place to eat that suited our vibe, cravings, and price points. We also used google translate for signs and the occasional menu.

Weather

I checked out the weather prior and packed strategically for chic-ness while also being weather appropriate. I’m so happy I did because I ended up packing my toque and gloves and I was always ready and comfortable for big walking days.

Phone/Internet

We rented ours from a vendor in the Narita Airport – it was easy and worked great. Here’s a breakdown of the pocket wifi options.